The present invention relates to a lockable rocker switch, for instance a lockable rocker switch suitable for an electrical circuit supplying power to one or several electrical component(s) of a motor vehicle. Furthermore, the present invention relates to an electrical circuit for supplying power to one or several electrical component(s) of a motor vehicle. Besides, the present invention relates to an unlocking method for unlocking such a lockable rocker switch and to a locking method for locking such a lockable rocker switch.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,183A discloses a locking device having a fixed part, a rotatable part which can rotate with respect to the fixed part between first and second rotation positions, a magnetic lock movable so as to engage and lock together the fixed part and the rotatable part and conversely, to release them.
A main drawback of the lockable rocker switch of U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,183A is that it requires numerous components to perform its functions, which render this locking device quite cumbersome and tedious to lock and unlock.
It therefore appears that, from several standpoints, there is room for improvement in the lockable rocker switches, in particular for an electrical circuit of a vehicle.
It is desirable to provide a lockable rocker switch which is compact, reliable and easy to handle.
A subject-matter of the invention is a lockable rocker switch including at least:                a fixed part defining a rotation pathway;        a rotatable part arranged to rotate along said rotation pathway at least between a first rotation position and a second rotation position about a rotation axis;        a locking component which is magnetically actuatable and which is arranged to move, with respect to said fixed part, between:        at least one locking position, in which said locking component crosses said rotation pathway and engages both said fixed part and said rotatable part so as to prevent rotation of said rotatable part, and        at least one release position, in which said locking component lies aside from said rotation pathway, so that said rotatable part may rotate into said rotation pathway; wherein said lockable rocker switch further includes a control component which is attached to said rotatable part and which is movable with respect to said rotatable part at least between:        a control position, in which said control component causes a magnetic action urging said locking component towards said release position, and        a rest position, in which said control component stops causing said magnetic action.        
Throughout the present application, the expression “magnetic materials” refers to any material able to generate, under a predetermined magnetic force, a magnetic coupling stronger than the forces exerted by the biasing component. Thus, the predetermined magnetic force can move the locking component, possibly against a biasing force exerted by a resilient biasing component. Examples of magnetic materials may, for instance, include ferromagnetic materials.
Thus, such a lockable rocker switch can be compact, reliable and easy to handle, because it only requires the operator to pivot or rock the rotatable part and slide the control component.
According to an embodiment, said locking component in said release position is completely accommodated in said rotatable part, and wherein said locking component in said locking position protrudes partially out of said rotatable part and into said fixed part.
Thus, such accommodation in the rotatable part enables the locking component to quickly and reliably protrude out and across the rotation pathway.
According to an embodiment, said fixed part defines at least one hole which communicates with said rotation pathway, said rotatable part defines at least one other hole, said locking component in said release position being completely accommodated in said at least one other hole, and said locking component in said locking position protrudes partially out of said rotatable part and into said at least one hole of the fixed part.
Thus, such a hole of the fixed part is easy to manufacture in order to receive the locking component.
According to an embodiment, said fixed part defines at least two holes corresponding to said first rotation position and to said second rotation position.
Thus, such holes are easy to manufacture in order to receive the locking component in at least two different positions.
According to an embodiment, said locking component in said release position is arranged to be completely accommodated in said fixed part, and wherein said locking component in said locking position protrudes partially out of said fixed part and into said rotatable part.
Thus, such accommodation in the fixed part enables the locking component to quickly protrude out and across the rotation pathway and so to quickly and reliably stop the rotation of the rotatable part.
According to an embodiment, said rotatable part defines at least one cavity which communicates with said rotation pathway, said fixed part defines at least one other cavity, said locking component in said release position being completely accommodated in said at least one other cavity, and said locking component in said locking position protrudes partially out of said fixed part and into said at least one cavity of said rotatable part.
Thus, such a cavity of the rotatable part is easy to manufacture in order to receive the locking component.
According to an embodiment, said rotatable part defines at least two cavities corresponding to said first rotation position and to said second rotation position.
Thus, such cavities are easy to manufacture in order to receive the locking component in at least two different positions.
According to an embodiment, said control component is designed to be manually movable at least between said control position and said rest position.
Thus, such a control component can be handled easily by an operator.
According to an embodiment, said lockable rocker switch further includes at least one spring arranged to resiliently bias said control component towards said rest position.
Thus, such a spring can automatically return the control component back to its rest position, thus relieving the operator from achieving this step.
According to an embodiment, said control component is movable in translation.
Thus, such a sliding control component is easy to manufacture, assemble and use.
According to an entbodiment, said rotatable part has a substantially flat portion, said control component being movable onto said substantially flat portion and along a rectilinear translation axis.
Thus, such a flat portion is easy to manufacture and facilitates sliding of the control component. Therefore thanks to this arrangement the lockable rocker switch according to the invention is simple from a technical point of view and very reliable.
According to an embodiment, said rectilinear translation axis is orthogonal to said rotation axis.
Thus, such an orthogonal rectilinear translation axis helps designing a lockable rocker switch that is easy to manufacture and to use.
According to an embodiment, said rotatable part includes a substantially cylindrical portion, which has preferably the shape of a half-cylinder, and wherein said rotation pathway has a substantially concave cylindrical surface suitable for rotatably bearing said cylindrical portion.
Thus, such cylindrical portion and surface define an efficient rotation pathway for the rotatable part.
According to an embodiment, said substantially concave cylindrical surface defines at least one guiding slope which is arranged beside a respective hole of said fixed part and which has a progressively increasing mule or curvature towards a respective hole of said fixed part.
Thus, such a guiding slope guides the locking component into a hole of the fixed part, which helps the operator reaching the locking position.
According to an embodiment, said substantially cylindrical portion defines at least one guiding slope which is arranged beside a respective cavity of said rotatable part and which has a progressively increasing angle or curvature towards a respective cavity of said rotatable part.
Thus, such a guiding slope guides the locking component into a cavity of the rotatable part, which helps the operator reaching the locking position.
According to an embodiment, said lockable rocker switch further includes at least one rocker spring arranged to resiliently bias said rotatable part towards said first rotation position.
Thus, such a rocker spring can automatically return the rotatable part in its first rotation position, thus relieving the operator from achieving this step.
According to an embodiment, said lockable rocker switch further includes a resilient biasing component designed to exert a resilient action suitable for moving said locking component into said at least one locking position, said resilient action being weaker than said magnetic action.
Thus, such a rocker spring can automatically return the locking component into a locking position, thus relieving the operator from achieving this step or obviating the need for a specific actuator or design for achieving this step.
According to an embodiment, said locking component is arranged to translate along a lock axis and across said rotation pathway, said lock axis being, preferably perpendicular to said rotation axis and said locking component preferably including a pin with a substantially cylindrical shape.
Thus, such a sliding locking component is easy to manufacture and compact to assemble.
According to an embodiment, said locking component includes a magnetic locking part made of metallic material, for instance steel alloy, and said control component includes a magnetic control part made of a magnetic material, preferably a permanent magnet, so that said control component in said control position exerts said magnetic action on said locking component.
Thus, such materials enable the control component and the locking component to cause the magnetic action.
According to an embodiment, the lockable rocker switch further includes an electromagnetic solenoid arranged, when electrically energized, for exerting said magnetic action on said locking component. According to this embodiment, the lockable rocker switch further includes a control circuit connected to said electromagnetic solenoid and extending at least in said rotatable part in such a manner that the control circuit can cooperate with the control component to electrically energize said electromagnetic solenoid when the control component is in the control position. When the control component is in the control position, the control component allows the control circuit to energize the electromagnetic solenoid. The control component in the control position triggers and therefore causes the magnetic action that urges said locking component towards said release position.
Such an electromagnetic solenoid together with the control circuit can quickly and reliably move the locking component into a locking position.
According to an embodiment, said electromagnetic solenoid is accommodated into said fixed part, said control circuit further extending onto said rotation pathway and into said fixed part in electrical contact with said electromagnetic solenoid.
Thus, such a location of the electromagnetic solenoid and of the control circuit can render the lockable rocker switch quite compact.
According, to an embodiment, said electromagnetic solenoid includes a core including a ferromagnetic material such as a soft ferrous magnetic material, for instance, iron or soft steel.
Thus, such a core permits to make an efficient electromagnetic solenoid.
According to an embodiment, said control component is designed to close said control circuit in said control position.
Thus, such a design facilitates locking of the lockable rocker switch.
According to an embodiment, said control circuit includes a microswitch arranged in said rotatable part such that it is activated by the control component to electrically close said control circuit in order to energize said electromagnetic solenoid when said control component is in the control position.
Thus, such a microswitch arranged in said rotatable part is advantageous in order to design a compact lockable rocker switch.
According to an embodiment, said rotatable part is arranged to rotate into said rotation pathway between at least three rotation positions about said rotation axis, including said first rotation position and said second rotation position.
Thus, with three or more rotation positions, such a lockable rocker switch may drive, for instance, the power supply of several electrical circuits of a motor vehicle.
Besides, a subject-matter of the invention is an electrical circuit, for supplying power to at least one electrical component of a motor vehicle wherein said electrical circuit includes a lockable rocker switch according to the invention, said lockable rocker switch being arranged so that said rotatable part in said first rotation position triggers current supply in said electrical circuit and that said rotatable part in said second rotation position stops triggering current supply in said electrical circuit. The lockable rocker switch is for instance, an ignition lock or an ADR switch lock. The abbreviation ADR means “Agreement concerning the international carriage of Dangerous goods by Road” and an ADR switch lock is a safety switch that is traditionally used to isolate de battery from the electrical circuit of the vehicle.
Thus, such an electrical circuit can be quickly and reliably locked in at least one state.
Another subject-matter of the invention is an unlocking method for unlocking a lockable rocker switch as previously described, the locking method comprising the steps of:                manually moving the control component from said rest position to the control position;        magnetically actuating said locking component so as to move said locking component with respect to said fixed part from said at least one locking position to said at least one release position; and        rotating said rotatable part along said rotation pathway at least between a first rotation position and a second rotation position about a rotation axis.        
Thus, such an unlocking method enables an operator to reliably and easily unlock the lockable rocker switch.
Yet another subject-matter of the invention is a locking method for locking a lockable rocker switch as previously described, the locking method comprising the steps of:                moving said control component from said control, position to said rest position; and        letting said locking component returning back to said at least one locking position.        
Thus, such a locking method enables an operator to reliably and easily lock the lockable rocker switch.
These and other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following description in view of the drawings appended thereto, which represent, as non-limiting examples, embodiments of the subject-matter of the invention.